Funding Opportunities

OVERVIEW

The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) is issuing Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) DE-FOA-0003439 on behalf of the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office (HFTO), which coordinates hydrogen activities with offices across the Department of Energy (DOE) as described in the DOE Hydrogen Program Plan. These activities align with EERE’s mission, the U.S. National Clean Hydrogen Strategy and Roadmap, the U.S. National Blueprint for Transportation Decarbonization, and other DOE initiatives as described below.

The research, development, and demonstration activities to be funded under this NOFO support:

• The U.S. National Clean Hydrogen Strategy and Roadmap's "whole-of-government" approach to addressing the challenges facing clean hydrogen and drive innovation leading to the deployment of clean energy technologies that are critical for emissions reduction.
• Enabling increased adoption of clean hydrogen across critical sectors, including heavy-duty vehicles, supporting the U.S. National Blueprint for Transportation Decarbonization.
• The goals of the Hydrogen Energy Earthshot^TM targeting affordable, clean hydrogen production at $1/kg by 2031.
• The H2@Scale Initiative aiming to advance affordable hydrogen production, transport, storage, and utilization to enable decarbonization and revenue opportunities across multiple sectors.

NOFO TOPICS:

• Topic 1: Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting Device Scale Up
• Topic 2: High-Performance Materials for Hydrogen Service, Including Cryogenic and/or High-Pressure Conditions
• Topic 3: Sustainable High-Temperature Proton Exchange Membranes and Ionomers for Heavy-Duty Transportation Applications
• Topic 4: Domestic Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Motorcoach Bus Development and Demonstration

Applicants must submit a Concept Paper by 5:00pm ET on the due date listed in the NOFO to be eligible to submit an Application.

Concept Papers and Applications will only be accepted through EERE eXCHANGE.

DOCUMENTS

The NOFO is separated into two parts to help applicants focus on the application requirements and review criteria in Part 1, with the full inventory of application, post-selection, and post-award requirements available in Part 2. The two-part NOFO is anticipated to simplify the application process and improve access to EERE funding opportunities from a more diverse applicant pool. Applicants should review both the NOFO Part 1 and NOFO Part 2 prior to applying.

DE-FOA-0003439_NOFO_Part_One includes specific programmatic goals, topic descriptions, eligibility requirements, evaluation criteria, and other components specific to this NOFO.

DE-FOA-0003439_NOFO_Part_Two includes standard information for the application phase and describes expectations for award negotiations and post-award requirements for selected applications.

DE-FOA-0003439_Hydrogen_Q&A contains questions submitted to H2FCFOA@ee.doe.gov and their answers from HFTO. This list will be updated as answers are provided.

TEAMING PARTNER LIST

The Teaming Partner List is transferred from Notice of Intent DE-FOA-0003438. The list will remain open and will be updated at least weekly until the close of the Application period, to reflect new Teaming Partners who have provided their contact information.

SUPPORT

Questions regarding this NOFO must be submitted to H2FCFOA@ee.doe.gov.

Applicants that experience technical issues with submissions PRIOR to the submissions deadline should contact the EERE eXCHANGE Help Desk for assistance (EERE-ExchangeSupport@hq.doe.gov).

The EERE eXCHANGE system is designed to enforce hard deadlines for Concept Paper and Application submissions. The "APPLY" and "SUBMIT" buttons automatically disable at the defined submission deadlines. The intent of this design is to consistently enforce a standard deadline for all Applicants.

Modification 0001: The purpose of this modification is to:

• Update title for Topic 3

The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) intends to issue, on behalf of the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office (HFTO), a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) entitled “Advanced Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies to Drive National Decarbonization.”

Clean hydrogen and fuel cell technologies are important elements of a comprehensive energy portfolio, particularly for use in hard-to-decarbonize sectors of the economy (such as heavy-duty transportation and industrial applications) and to enable long duration energy storage for a clean electric grid. Advancing clean hydrogen and fuel cell technologies directly supports the Biden-Harris Administration’s goals of achieving carbon pollution-free electricity by 2035 and net-zero emissions economy-wide by no later than 2050, benefiting all Americans.

This NOFO supports the vision outlined in the U.S. National Clean Hydrogen Strategy and Roadmap: affordable clean hydrogen for a net-zero carbon future and a sustainable, resilient, and equitable economy. The NOFO will target research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) topics critical to scaling hydrogen infrastructure and enabling increased adoption of clean hydrogen across sectors, particularly in heavy-duty (HD) vehicles and other heavy-duty transportation applications, which supports the U.S. National Blueprint for Transportation Decarbonization. Increased adoption of hydrogen technologies will help achieve economies of scale and drive down costs, directly supporting the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs (H2Hubs) Program, an $8 billion federal investment to create networks of hydrogen producers, consumers, and local connective infrastructure to accelerate the use of hydrogen as a clean energy carrier and a carbon-free input to a number of chemical and industrial processes. Improvements in clean hydrogen technologies will also contribute to the long-term viability of the H2Hubs and other commercial-scale deployments. Activities funded under this NOFO will also align with the H2@Scale Initiative, which aims to advance affordable hydrogen production, transport, storage, and utilization to enable decarbonization and revenue opportunities across multiple sectors. The NOFO’s objectives support DOE’s Hydrogen Shot goal, which targets affordable clean hydrogen production at $1/kg within a decade.

Hydrogen and fuel cells can provide benefits and create opportunities for communities that have been historically underserved—such as improving air quality, providing resiliency, and creating jobs, including good-paying union jobs. Consistent with DOE’s commitment to benefit all Americans, this anticipated NOFO will encourage the participation of underserved communities and underrepresented groups. Applicants will be encouraged to form meaningful and substantial partnerships with Minority Serving Institutions (e.g., Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribal Colleges and Universities, and Other Minority Institutions).

To support the goal of building a clean and equitable energy economy, projects funded under this NOFO will be expected to (1) advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA); (2) contribute to the Justice40 Initiative7 and other considerations linked with energy and/or environmental justice; and (3) invest in America’s workforce. To ensure these objectives are met, applications must include an RDD&D Community Benefits Plan (CBP) that addresses the three objectives stated above.

Hydrogen and fuel cells can help create opportunities and benefits for communities that have been historically underserved, such as improving air quality, providing resiliency, and creating jobs, including good-paying union jobs. Consistent with DOE’s commitment to benefit all Americans, this anticipated NOFO will encourage the participation of underserved communities and underrepresented groups.

EERE plans to issue the NOFO before or in October 2024 via the EERE eXCHANGE website https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/. If Applicants wish to receive official notifications and information from EERE regarding this NOFO, they should register in EERE eXCHANGE. When the FOA is released, applications will be accepted only through EERE eXCHANGE.

Navigate to TPL-0000058 in EERE Exchange to access the Teaming Partner List for this solicitation.

This notice of intent (NOI) is issued so that interested parties are aware of EERE’s intention to issue this NOFO in the near term. All the information contained in this NOI is subject to change. EERE will not respond to questions concerning this NOI. Once the FOA has been released, EERE will provide an avenue for potential applicants to submit questions.

Modification 0002: The purpose of this modification is to:

• Update the minimum non-federal cost share amount for Topic 1; and
• Provide clarification on blended cost share.

Modification 0001: The purpose of this modification is to:

• Update estimated funding for Topic Area 4;
• Clarify the requirements for DOE/NNSA and Non-DOE/NNSA FFRDCs regarding a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA);
• Add language to the Content and Form of the Full Application for Topics 4 and 5;
• Add the Community Benefits Plan template;
• Clarify RDD&D Community Benefits Plan language for Topics 2 and 3;
• Add reporting requirements to track progress toward key departmental goals.

The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) is issuing Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) DE-FOA-0003213 on behalf of the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office (HFTO), which coordinates hydrogen activities with offices across DOE as described in the DOE Hydrogen Program Plan. These activities align with the U.S. National Clean Hydrogen Strategy and Roadmap, the U.S. National Blueprint for Transportation Decarbonization, and other DOE initiatives as described below.

Building a clean and equitable energy economy and addressing the climate crisis are top priorities of the Biden Administration. This FOA will advance the Biden Administration’s goals to achieve carbon pollution-free electricity by 2035, “to deliver an equitable, clean energy future, and put the United States on a path to achieve net-zero emissions economy-wide by no later than 2050, to the benefit of all Americans”. The Department of Energy is committed to pushing the frontiers of science and engineering; catalyzing clean energy jobs through research, development, demonstration, and deployment (RDD&D); and ensuring environmental justice and inclusion of underserved communities.

The research, development, demonstration, and deployment (RDD&D) activities to be funded under this FOA will support the government-wide approach to the climate crisis by driving the innovation that can lead to the deployment of clean energy technologies, which are critical for climate protection. Specifically, this FOA will support the goals of the H2@Scale Initiative, which aims to advance affordable hydrogen production, transport, storage, and utilization to enable decarbonization and revenue opportunities across multiple sectors. These objectives align with DOE’s Hydrogen Energy Earthshot^TM (Hydrogen Shot), which targets affordable clean hydrogen production at $1/kg by 2031. Advancing technologies that will facilitate the use of clean hydrogen will support the goal of net zero GHG emissions by 2050.

In addition to RDD&D topics, this FOA will focus on enabling hydrogen deployments through safety and permitting support, equitable community engagement, and developing strategies for effective community benefits.

As part of the whole-of-government approach to advance equity, it is the policy of the Biden Administration that the federal government should pursue a comprehensive approach to advancing equity for all, including people of color and others who have been historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by persistent poverty and inequality. As part of this approach, this FOA encourages the participation of underserved communities and underrepresented groups.

Topics Include:

Topic 1: Components for Hydrogen Fueling of Medium-and Heavy-Duty Vehicles

Topic 2: Standarized Hydrogen Refueling Station of the Future

Topic 3: Hydrogen Fuel Cell Powered Port Equipment

Topic 4: Enabling Permitting and Safety for Hydrogen Deployment

Topic 5: Equitable Hydrogen Technology Community Engagement

Please see the 'Full FOA Document' in the DOCUMENTS section below.

Questions regarding the FOA must be submitted to H2FCFOA@ee.doe.gov

The Teaming Partner List is transferred from Notice of Intent (NOI) DE-FOA-0003212. The list will remain open and will be updated at least weekly until the close of the Full Application period, to reflect new Teaming Partners who have provided their information.

Applicants must submit a Concept Paper by 5:00pm ET on the due date listed in the FOA to be eligible to submit a Full Application. Concept Papers and Full Applications will only be accepted through EERE eXCHANGE.

Applicants that experience issues with submissions PRIOR to the Deadline: In the event an Applicant experiences technical difficulties with a submission, the Applicant should contact the eXCHANGE helpdesk for assistance (exchangehelp@hq.doe.gov).

The eXCHANGE system is designed to enforce hard deadlines for Concept Paper and Full Application submissions. The “APPLY” and “SUBMIT” buttons automatically disable at the defined submission deadlines. The intention of this design is to consistently enforce a standard deadline for all applicants.

The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) intends to issue, on behalf of the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office, a funding opportunity announcement (FOA) entitled “Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office FOA to Advance the National Clean Hydrogen Strategy.”

Clean hydrogen and fuel cell technologies are important elements of a comprehensive energy portfolio, particularly for use in hard-to-decarbonize sectors of the economy (such as heavy-duty transportation and industrial applications) and to enable long duration energy storage for a clean electric grid. These elements directly support the Administration’s goals of achieving carbon pollution-free electricity by 2035 and net-zero emissions economy-wide by no later than 2050, benefiting all Americans.

This FOA supports the vision outlined in the U.S. National Clean Hydrogen Strategy and Roadmap, affordable clean hydrogen for a net-zero carbon future and a sustainable, resilient, and equitable economy. The FOA will target Research, Development, Demonstration & Deployment (RDD&D) topics critical to enabling increased adoption of clean hydrogen across sectors, particularly in heavy-duty (HD) vehicles and other heavy-duty transportation applications, which supports the U.S. National Blueprint for Transportation Decarbonization, including the buildout of fueling corridors. Increased adoption of hydrogen technologies will help achieve economies of scale and drive down costs, directly supporting DOE’s Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs (H2Hubs) Program, an $8 billion federal investment to create networks of hydrogen producers, consumers, and local connective infrastructure to accelerate the use of hydrogen as a clean energy carrier. Improvements in clean hydrogen technologies will also contribute to the long-term viability of the H2Hubs and other commercial-scale deployments. Activities funded under this FOA will also align with the H2@Scale Initiative, which aims to advance affordable hydrogen production, transport, storage, and utilization to enable decarbonization and revenue opportunities across multiple sectors. The FOA’s objectives support DOE’s Hydrogen Shot goal, which targets affordable clean hydrogen production at $1/kg within a decade. In addition to RD&D topics, this FOA will focus on enabling hydrogen deployments through safety and permitting support, equitable community engagement, and developing strategies for effective community benefits.

Hydrogen and fuel cells can help create opportunities and benefits for communities that have been historically underserved, such as improving air quality, providing resiliency, and creating jobs, including good-paying union jobs. Consistent with DOE’s commitment to benefit all Americans, this anticipated FOA will encourage the participation of underserved communities and underrepresented groups.

EERE plans to issue the FOA before or in January 2024 via the EERE eXCHANGE website https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/. If Applicants wish to receive official notifications and information from EERE regarding this FOA, they should register in EERE eXCHANGE. When the FOA is released, applications will be accepted only through EERE eXCHANGE.

Navigate to TPL-0000033 in EERE Exchange to access the Teaming Partner List for this solicitation.

This notice of intent (NOI) is issued so that interested parties are aware of EERE’s intention to issue this FOA in the near term. All the information contained in this NOI is subject to change. EERE will not respond to questions concerning this NOI. Once the FOA has been released, EERE will provide an avenue for potential applicants to submit questions.

Modification 0001: The purpose of this modification is:

1. Section IV. D. ix: Directs applicants to EERE eXCHANGE to access a summary slide template. Further defines the information that is required in the summary slides.

2. Section I.B.i:. In Topic 3, Subtopic 3a, removes the anode catalyst activity target for PEM electrolyzers to emphasize integrated MEA performance.

The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) is issuing Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) DE-FOA-0002922 on behalf of the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office (HFTO), which coordinates hydrogen activities with offices across the Department of Energy (DOE) as described in the DOE Hydrogen Program Plan. These activities align with the DOE National Clean Hydrogen Strategy and Roadmap and specific DOE initiatives. Awards made under this FOA will be funded, in whole or in part, with funds appropriated by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act,[1] more commonly known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL).

This FOA implements two provisions within Section 40314 of the BIL, which amended Title VIII of the Energy Policy Act (EPAct) of 2005 to include a new section 815, “Clean Hydrogen Manufacturing and Recycling” and a new section 816, “Clean Hydrogen Electrolysis Program.” The FOA launches the first phase of funding for these programs and will provide up to $750 million in Federal funding, subject to the availability of appropriated funds. These activities will support the broader government-wide approach to accelerate progress in clean hydrogen technologies and maximize the benefits of the clean energy transition as the nation works to curb the climate crisis, empower workers, and advance environmental justice.

The FOA provides funding for research, development, and demonstration to:

The following topics, in two areas of interest, are included in this funding opportunity.

Area of Interest 1: Clean Hydrogen Electrolysis Program

Topic 1: Low Cost, High-Throughput Electrolyzer Manufacturing: Research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) that accelerates manufacturing innovations, so that electrolyzer stack manufacturers can achieve greater economies of scale.

Topic 2: Electrolyzer Component and Supply Chain Development: Research and development (R&D) of advanced components critical to accelerate the commercialization of electrolyzers

Topic 3: Advanced Electrolyzer Technology and Component Development: R&D that develops materials, components, and designs that are at lower technology readiness levels (TRL) but show promise in achieving long-term cost, performance, and lifetime goals in next generation of electrolyzer technologies.

Area of Interest 2: Clean Hydrogen Manufacturing and Recycling

Topic 4: Fuel Cell Membrane Electrode Assembly and Stack Manufacturing and Automation: RD&D that accelerates fuel cell manufacturing innovation and scale-up by enabling diverse fuel cell manufacturer and supplier teams to flexibly address their greatest scale-up challenges and achieve economies of scale in medium- and heavy-duty vehicle (MDV/HDV) and cross-cutting applications.

Topic 5: Fuel Cell Supply Chain Development: R&D to address critical deficiencies in the domestic supply chain for MDV/HDV fuel cell materials and components.

Topic 6: Recovery and Recycling Consortium: Establish a single, broad-based nonprofit- or university-led consortium of industry, academia, and national labs to address a range of recovery, recycling, refurbishment, and reuse challenges for fuel cell and electrolyzer stacks and components.

Please see the 'Full FOA Document' in the DOCUMENTS section below.

The Teaming Partner List is transferred from Notice of Intent (NOI) DE-FOA-0002921. The list will remain open and will be updated at least weekly until the close of the Full Application period, to reflect new Teaming Partners who have provided their information.

Applicants must submit a Concept Paper by 5:00pm ET on the due date listed in the FOA to be eligible to submit a Full Application. Concept Papers and Full Applications will only be accepted through EERE eXCHANGE.

Applicants that experience issues with submissions PRIOR to the Deadline: In the event an Applicant experiences technical difficulties with a submission, the Applicant should contact the eXCHANGE helpdesk for assistance (exchangehelp@hq.doe.gov).

For Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23), Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) has elected to use a portion of its Base Annual Appropriations to fund program-led topics under this lab call in addition to the Core Laboratory Infrastructure for Commercialization topics under the DE-LC-000L098 FY23 TCF Base Core Laboratory Infrastructure for Market Readiness (CLIMR) Lab Call. The intent of the Technology-Specific, FECM program-led commercialization topics in this lab call (Topics 1, 2, 3, and 4) are to address critical technology gaps in the fields covered by FECM’s strategic vision.

Given the pressing need for technologies that are critical for furthering several fields within FECM’s strategic vision (specifically, carbon dioxide removal, hydrogen production with carbon management, mineral sustainability, and methane mitigation), FECM has elected to fund this lab call and associated program. This solicitation offers an opportunity for private industry to partner with DOE’s National Labs to advance energy-related technologies and Lab intellectual property (IP) toward commercialization.

To submit to the Teaming Partner List (TPL-0000012) for this Lab Call please click here.

Modification 0001: The purposes of this modification are to:

1. Direct applicants to EERE Exchange to access a summary slide template. FOA document further defines the information that is required in the summary slides.

2. Update the Topic Area Description related to PEM electrolyzers. See highlighted section in FOA document.

3. Clarify the timeline for announcing encourage/discourage decisions.

The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s (EERE) Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office (HFTO) is issuing this Lab Call. HFTO conducts comprehensive efforts to overcome the technological, economic, and institutional challenges facing the widespread adoption and use of clean hydrogen (H₂) and fuel cell technologies. To this end, HFTO, in collaboration with other Department of Energy (DOE) offices, supports a broad portfolio of projects for the production, processing, delivery, storage, and use of clean hydrogen, along with cross-cutting topics in system development and integration, safety, codes and standards, and systems analysis. This Lab Call is part of an ‘all-hands-on-deck’ expanded initiative to reduce electrolyzer cost. These activities align with the DOE National Clean Hydrogen Strategy and Roadmap and specific DOE initiatives, including the Hydrogen Shot which targets affordable clean hydrogen production at $1/kg within the decade.

Building a clean and equitable energy economy and addressing the climate crisis is a top priority of the Biden Administration. This Lab Call will advance the Biden Administration’s goals to achieve carbon pollution-free electricity by 2035 and to “deliver an equitable, clean energy future, and put the United States on a path to achieve net-zero emissions, economy-wide, by no later than 2050” to the benefit of all Americans. The Department of Energy is committed to pushing the frontiers of science and engineering, catalyzing clean energy jobs through research, development, demonstration, and deployment (RDD&D), and ensuring environmental justice and inclusion of underserved communities.

The research and development (R&D) activities to be funded under this Lab Call will support the government-wide approach to the climate crisis by driving the innovation that can lead to the deployment of clean energy technologies, which are critical for climate protection. Specifically, this Lab Call will target cost reduction of electrolytic production of clean hydrogen through development of electrolyzer materials and components with high impact potential for multiple electrolyzer types.

Modification 0001: The purposes of this modification are to:

1.) Updates to Topic 1 as highlighted in FOA document.

2.) Updated maximum file size to 50MB in sections IV.B and IV.D.i.

3.) Changes made to the list of FFRDC members of HyMARC in footnote 42 on page 28.

The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) is issuing Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) DE-FOA-0002920 on behalf of the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office (HFTO), which coordinates hydrogen activities with offices across DOE as described in the DOE Hydrogen Program Plan. These activities align with the DOE National Clean Hydrogen Strategy and Roadmap and specific DOE initiatives.

Building a clean and equitable energy economy and addressing the climate crisis is a top priority of the Biden Administration. This FOA will advance the Biden Administration’s goals to achieve carbon pollution-free electricity by 2035 and to “deliver an equitable, clean energy future, and put the United States on a path to achieve net-zero emissions, economy-wide, by no later than 2050“ to the benefit of all Americans. The Department of Energy is committed to pushing the frontiers of science and engineering, catalyzing clean energy jobs through research, development, demonstration, and deployment (RDD&D), and ensuring environmental justice and inclusion of underserved communities.

The research, development and demonstration (RD&D) activities to be funded under this FOA will support the government-wide approach to the climate crisis by driving the innovation that can lead to the deployment of clean energy technologies, which are critical for climate protection. Specifically, this FOA will support the goals of the H2@Scale Initiative, which aims to advance affordable hydrogen production, transport, storage, and utilization to enable decarbonization and revenue opportunities across multiple sectors. These objectives align with DOE’s Hydrogen Shot, which targets affordable clean hydrogen production at $1/kg within the decade. Advancing technologies that will facilitate the adoption of clean hydrogen technologies will support the goal of net zero GHG emissions by 2050.

Topic Areas Include:

Topic 1: Hydrogen Carrier Development

Topic 2: Onboard Storage Systems for Liquid Hydrogen

Topic 3: Liquid Hydrogen Transfer/Fueling Components and Systems

Topic 4: M2FCT: High Performing, Durable Membrane Electrode Assemblies for Medium and Heavy-Duty Applications

Please see the 'Full FOA Document' in the DOCUMENTS section below.

The Teaming Partner List is transferred from Notice of Intent (NOI) DE-FOA-0002919. The list will remain open and will be updated at least weekly until the close of the Full Application period, to reflect new Teaming Partners who have provided their information.

Applicants must submit a Concept Paper by 5:00pm ET on the due date listed in the FOA to be eligible to submit a Full Application. Concept Papers and Full Applications will only be accepted through EERE eXCHANGE.

Applicants that experience issues with submissions PRIOR to the Deadline: In the event an Applicant experiences technical difficulties with a submission, the Applicant should contact the eXCHANGE helpdesk for assistance (exchangehelp@hq.doe.gov).

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS NOI POSTING IS PURELY INFORMATIONAL.

THE ASSOCIATED FOA WILL BE PUBLISHED THROUGH THE OCED FUNDING OPPORTUNITY EXCHANGE PORTAL. (https://oced-exchange.energy.gov).

ALL CONCEPT PAPERS AND FULL APPLICATIONS IN RESPONSE TO THE FOA, WHEN PUBLISHED, WILL BE SUBMITTED THROUGH OCED EXCHANGE.

The Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED) intends to issue a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) entitled “Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs” (H2Hubs) in collaboration with the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s (EERE) Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office (HFTO) and the DOE Hydrogen Program, which includes multiple offices engaged in hydrogen related technologies across DOE. OCED anticipates issuing the FOA in the September/October 2022 timeframe, and the FOA will be funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). The specific provisions for regional clean hydrogen hubs are set forth in Section 40314 of the BIL, which amends Title VIII EPAct 2005 by adding a new “Section 813 – Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs.” Section 813(a) defines the term “regional clean hydrogen hub” as “a network of clean hydrogen producers, potential clean hydrogen consumers, and connective infrastructure located in close proximity.”

Investment in building out the hydrogen (H2) economy is a significant portion of the BIL funding at DOE. The BIL authorizes and appropriates $8.0 billion over the five-year period encompassing fiscal years 2022 through 2026 to support the development of at least four H2Hubs that:

• Demonstrably aid achievement of the clean hydrogen production standard developed under section 822(a) of Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct 2005);
  
  
• Demonstrate the production, processing, delivery, storage, and end use of clean hydrogen; and
  
  
• Can be developed into a national clean hydrogen network to facilitate a clean hydrogen economy.

The FOA will incorporate a range of equity considerations including energy and environmental justice, labor and community engagement, consent-based siting, quality jobs, and inclusive workforce development to support the Biden Administration’s decarbonization goals of a 50-52% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from 2005 levels by 2030, a carbon-pollution-free power sector by 2035, and a net-zero GHG emissions economy by 2050. The H2Hubs will be a key part of the National Clean Hydrogen Strategy and Roadmap, also required in the BIL, and will be instrumental in meeting national decarbonization goals, including the development and deployment of clean hydrogen technologies.

This notice of intent (NOI) is issued so that interested parties are aware of OCED’s intention to issue a FOA in the near term. All of the information contained in this NOI is subject to change. OCED will not respond to questions concerning this NOI. Once the FOA has been released, OCED will provide an avenue for potential applicants to submit questions.

See attached NOI document for further details.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS NOI POSTING IS PURELY INFORMATIONAL.

THE ASSOCIATED FOA WILL BE PUBLISHED THROUGH THE OCED FUNDING OPPORTUNITY EXCHANGE PORTAL. (https://oced-exchange.energy.gov).

ALL CONCEPT PAPERS AND FULL APPLICATIONS IN RESPONSE TO THE FOA, WHEN PUBLISHED, WILL BE SUBMITTED THROUGH OCED EXCHANGE.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office (HFTO) seeks input on priority areas that will advance domestic manufacturing and recycling of clean hydrogen technologies, including fuel cells, storage equipment, and other hydrogen related components as specified below; and on priority areas that will advance electrolyzer technologies for affordable clean hydrogen production, in alignment with the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and the mission of DOE’s Hydrogen Energy Earthshot to reach the goal of $1 per 1 kilogram in 1 decade (“1 1 1”). This Request for Information (RFI) was developed in coordination with the Advanced Manufacturing Office. This RFI is issued to obtain feedback on the status of and opportunities for technologies that support goals in BIL section 40314, amending the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPACT). The BIL added a new section 815 on clean hydrogen manufacturing and recycling research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) and a new section 816 for the establishment of the Clean Hydrogen Electrolysis Program to EPACT. The EPACT Sec. 815 activities are grouped into a Clean Hydrogen Manufacturing Initiative (815a) focused on enhancing domestic manufacturing of clean hydrogen use, storage, and related equipment and a Clean Hydrogen Technology Recycling RD&D Program (815b) that covers recycling of equipment for clean hydrogen processing, delivery, storage, and use, including fuel cells. The Clean Hydrogen Electrolysis Program in section 816 expands on DOE’s existing, comprehensive Program on electrolysis and is a research, development, demonstration, commercialization, and deployment program aimed at improving efficiency, increasing durability, and reducing capital costs of electrolyzers, thus facilitating the commercialization of clean hydrogen electrolyzer technology.

DOE does not intend to publish information collected through this RFI; input will be used to develop and refine the programs.

Responses to this RFI must be submitted electronically to H2RFI@ee.doe.gov no later than 5:00 p.m. (ET) on March 29th, 2022. If possible, please copy and paste the RFI questions and use them as a template for your response. Responses must be provided as attachments to an email. It is recommended that attachments with file sizes exceeding 25 MB be compressed (i.e., zipped) to ensure message delivery. Responses must be provided as a Microsoft Word (*.docx) or Adobe Acrobat (*.pdf) attachment to the email. Only electronic responses will be accepted. Respondents may answer as many or as few questions as they wish.

Respondents are requested to provide the following information at the start of their response to this RFI:

• Company / institution name
• Company / institution contact
• Contact's address, phone number, and e-mail address

DOE will not respond to individual submissions or publicly publish a compendium of responses. A response to this RFI will not be viewed as a binding commitment to develop or pursue the project or ideas discussed.

This is a Request for Information (RFI) issued by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Hydrogen Program, which encompasses multiple offices within DOE, including the Energy Efficiency Renewable Energy (EERE), Fossil Energy (FE), Nuclear Energy (NE), Electricity (OE), and Science (SC). The intent of this RFI is to obtain public input in support of DOE’s Hydrogen Energy Earthshot initiative to enable low cost, clean hydrogen at scale. 

Hydrogen is the first in a series of Energy Earthshots launched by DOE to look beyond incremental advances and aim, instead, at the game-changing breakthroughs that will secure American leadership in enabling net-zero carbon technologies and support sustainable development around the world, to the benefit of all Americans.

The information being sought is intended to assist DOE’s Hydrogen Program in further defining the scope and priorities of its initiatives to accelerate the production, storage, delivery, and end use of clean, affordable hydrogen in the United States. Specifically, this RFI seeks input on viable hydrogen demonstration and deployment projects that enable clean hydrogen production, infrastructure and end use to reduce emissions, create jobs, and enable a net-zero carbon emissions economy by 2050. 

The RFI is being coordinated by DOE’s Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office (HFTO) across EERE, FE, NE, OE, and SC, and input will also be provided to other relevant offices within DOE, including the Loan Program Office, Office of Technology Transfer, Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs, and Office of Economic Impact and Diversity. The information collected may be used for internal DOE planning and decision-making purposes across its research, development, demonstration, and deployment (RDD&D) portfolio, including but not limited to determining potential new areas of focus and innovations, challenges/gaps, funding opportunities, analyses, regional opportunities, the potential for sustainable careers, including consideration of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and other input. This is not a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA); DOE is not accepting applications.

Purpose:

The purpose of this RFI is to solicit feedback from industry, investors, developers, academia, research laboratories, government agencies, and other stakeholders on potential hydrogen demonstration projects and their associated locations, including potentially ideal locations in the United States. Specifically, DOE is requesting input on the following categories:

• Regional Hydrogen Production, Resources, and Infrastructure
• End Users for Hydrogen in the Region, Cost, and Value Proposition
• Greenhouse Gas and Pollutant Emissions Reduction Potential
• Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI), Jobs, and Environmental Justice
• Science and Innovation Needs and Challenges
• Additional Information

This is a Request for Information (RFI) issued by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Hydrogen Program, which encompasses multiple offices within DOE, including the Energy Efficiency Renewable Energy (EERE), Fossil Energy (FE), Nuclear Energy (NE), Electricity (OE), and Science (SC). The intent of this RFI is to obtain public input in support of DOE’s Hydrogen Energy Earthshot initiative to enable low cost, clean hydrogen at scale.

Hydrogen is the first in a series of Energy Earthshots launched by DOE to look beyond incremental advances and aim, instead, at the game-changing breakthroughs that will secure American leadership in enabling net-zero carbon technologies and support sustainable development around the world, to the benefit of all Americans.

The RFI is being coordinated by DOE’s Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office (HFTO) across EERE, FE, NE, OE, and SC, and input will also be provided to other relevant offices within DOE, including the Loan Program Office, Office of Technology Transfer, Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs, and Office of Economic Impact and Diversity. The information collected may be used for internal DOE planning and decision-making purposes across its research, development, demonstration, and deployment (RDD&D) portfolio, including but not limited to determining potential new areas of focus and innovations, challenges/gaps, funding opportunities, analyses, regional opportunities, the potential for sustainable careers, including consideration of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and other input. This is not a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA); DOE is not accepting applications.

Purpose:

The purpose of this RFI is to solicit feedback from industry, investors, developers, academia, research laboratories, government agencies, and other stakeholders on potential hydrogen demonstration projects and their associated locations, including potentially ideal locations in the United States. Specifically, DOE is requesting input on the following categories:

• Regional Hydrogen Production, Resources, and Infrastructure
• End Users for Hydrogen in the Region, Cost, and Value Proposition
• Greenhouse Gas and Pollutant Emissions Reduction Potential
• Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI), Jobs, and Environmental Justice
• Science and Innovation Needs and Challenges
• Additional Information

The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) intends to issue, on behalf of the Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO) and the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office (HFTO), a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) titled "SuperTruck 3."

Building a clean energy economy and addressing the climate crisis is a top priority of the Biden Administration. The Administration has laid out a bold plan to lead the world in building a clean energy economy, address climate change, and achieve net-zero emissions no later than 2050. The Department of Energy is committed to pushing the frontiers of science and engineering and catalyzing clean energy jobs through research, development, demonstration, and deployment.

How freight moves is changing dramatically due to a number of factors including new technologies, business models, and consumer demands. Although Class 7-8 trucks are still the most significant consumer of fuel, medium duty Class 4-6 vehicles also offer significant opportunities for higher efficiency and electrification.

The Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO) funds a broad portfolio of research, development, demonstration, and deployment projects to develop new affordable, efficient and clean transportation options to tackle the climate crisis and accelerate the development and widespread use of a variety of innovative transportation technologies. VTO-funded research has greatly reduced the cost of electric vehicle batteries and nearly every plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) on the road today uses VTO-developed battery technology. There are also efficiency opportunities beyond vehicle components and systems. Advances in connectivity and automation have the potential to dramatically improve transportation system-level energy efficiency, energy productivity, and affordability. VTO has developed robust modeling, simulation, and big data analytics capabilities, while research of advanced sensing and perception technologies, system controls, and other connected and automated technologies has advanced rapidly.

HFTO is focused on enabling large scale hydrogen production, delivery, storage, and use across applications and sectors, including medium and heavy-duty transportation. Interest in hydrogen powered medium/heavy-duty fuel cell electric vehicles is growing rapidly due to the benefits of zero tailpipe emissions and low life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions, along with extended driving range, fast fueling times, high fuel efficiency, high power operation, and zero noise pollution.

In partnership with industry, EERE’s VTO and HFTO have established aggressive targets to focus research on cost-reduction, efficiency, and performance.

The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) is issuing, on behalf of the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office (HFTO), Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) DE-FOA-0002446. The activities supported by this FOA are authorized under the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPACT 2005) Public Law 109-58 (Aug. 5, 2005), Title VIII - HYDROGEN, Sections 801 to 816. These provisions are found in the United States Code at 42 U.S.C. §§ 16151 to 16165. Title VIII authorizes the Secretary of Energy to conduct a program of research, development and demonstration on technologies relating to the production, purification, distribution, storage, and use of hydrogen energy, fuel cells, and related infrastructure.

This FOA supports research and development (R&D) to enable “H2@Scale” − a DOE initiative to achieve large scale production, storage, transport, and utilization of hydrogen across multiple sectors.1 Supporting EERE’s core priorities of energy affordability, integration and storage, H2@Scale research, development and demonstration (RD&D) aims to advance the adoption of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies in integrated energy systems across key applications that provide a value proposition as well as reduce emissions. However, a number of challenges remain including cost, performance, durability, manufacturing and scale-up issues, and developing integrated systems that demonstrate the unique technical, economic and environmental benefits of hydrogen and fuel cells.

To address these challenges, HFTO supports a comprehensive RD&D portfolio addressing materials-, component- and systems-level R&D on hydrogen and fuel cell technologies (e.g., MW-scale electrolyzers, fuel cells for heavy-duty transportation applications, hydrogen delivery and fueling infrastructure, among others); and technology acceleration efforts addressing first-of-a-kind demonstrations of integrated energy systems, as well as manufacturing innovations and safety codes and standards. HFTO RD&D relies heavily on collaborations among various industry and university stakeholders and the national laboratories, including through HFTO-managed consortia.

This year, HFTO launched two major collaborative research initiatives leveraging world-class expertise and state-of-the-art equipment at the national laboratories: the Million Mile Fuel Cell Truck (M2FCT) consortium and the H2NEW consortium.2 Under each consortium, DOE national laboratories are working together in cutting-edge R&D and collaborating with the hydrogen and fuel cell communities to identify innovative ways to make hydrogen and fuel cell technologies more affordable and competitive in today’s market. Each consortium is planned at $50 million over five years, along with a similar level for industry and university FOAs, to advance progress in specific hydrogen production and fuel cell RD&D areas:

• M2FCT includes Los Alamos and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratories as co-leads, and focuses on fuel cell durability, performance, and cost to better position fuel cell trucks as a viable option in the long-haul trucking market.
• H2NEW includes National Renewable Energy Laboratory and Idaho National Laboratory as co-leads, and focuses on R&D to enable affordable, durable and efficient large-scale electrolyzers, which produce hydrogen from electricity and water (at both high and low temperatures).

This HFTO FY21 RD&D FOA will provide more than $33,500,000 in Federal funding for topics designed to supplement the current HFTO RD&D portfolio in the advancement of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies, with an emphasis on incentivizing collaborative progress among industry, university and national laboratory stakeholders, including coordination with the M2FCT and H2NEW Consortia. This FOA includes the following four areas of R&D:

2) Efficient and Innovative Hydrogen Production This topic includes two focus areas aimed at developing sustainable generation technologies to enable low-cost production of clean hydrogen at large scale. The first area, carried out in collaboration with DOE’s Advanced Manufacturing Office (AMO), focuses on increasing the production volume of advanced components, stacks, sub-systems, and systems for multi-MW-scale high-temperature electrolyzers to lower hydrogen production costs. This would be coordinated with the H2NEW consortium. The second focus area supports technology development which enables low cost hydrogen production via waste and biomass conversion. Research approaches in this area include microbial conversion technologies viable at large or distributed/community scales, with development of novel systems to bring down cost, improve yield, and enable scale-up.

3) High-flow Fueling Applications This topic includes two focus areas for development of novel hydrogen fueling technologies and processes that can increase hydrogen dispensing rates to facilitate rapid fueling of heavy-duty vehicles. The first topic area focuses on low-cost, reliable, domestically supplied hydrogen fueling station components to enable high-flow hydrogen fueling of heavy-duty trucks. The second focus area supports R&D necessary to develop a high-flow gaseous fueling model and ultimately a standard protocol which can achieve targeted fill rates.

4) Analysis This topic includes three focus areas for the development of a comprehensive set of cost analyses involving all aspects of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies. Projects would define the current state-of-the-art in key areas, develop and refine system configurations and designs, provide guidance on R&D gaps, and help to direct future R&D priorities in fuel cell, hydrogen production, and hydrogen storage technologies.

***NOTICE: New Application System Launched***

EERE issued this FOA in December of 2020 via the new EERE Program Information Center (EPIC) website https://epic.ee.doe.gov/

*******HOWEVER, PLEASE NOTE, the FOA has been moved to the Exchange website https://eere-exchange.energy.gov. Applications, for those that submitted an eligible Conept Paper under this FOA in EPIC, must be submitted through Exchange by the deadline listed below.

In addition, all questions pertaining to this FOA must now be submitted to HFTOFOA@ee.doe.gov. The list of Q&A's from EPIC, to date, is posted below.

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) advances the H2@Scale concept. The focus of H2@Scale is to enable affordable and reliable large-scale hydrogen generation, transport, storage, and utilization in the United States across multiple sectors.

By producing hydrogen when power generation exceeds load, electrolyzers can reduce curtailment of renewables and contribute to grid stability. Hydrogen produced from existing baseload (e.g., nuclear power) assets can also be stored, distributed, and used as a fuel for multiple applications. Such applications include transportation, stationary power, process or building heat, and industrial sectors such as steel manufacturing, ammonia production and petroleum refining. Key challenges to the H2@Scale concept include affordability, reliability, and performance of emerging hydrogen and fuel cell technologies.

Topics under this FOA to advance H2@Scale include:

Topic 1: Advanced hydrogen storage and infrastructure R&D including novel materials or hydrogen carriers for transporting and storing hydrogen, and materials for hydrogen infrastructure components.

Topic 2: Innovative concepts for hydrogen production and utilization including advanced water splitting materials, affordable domestic hydrogen production technologies, co-production of hydrogen for additional sources of revenue, and reversible fuel cell technologies.

Topic 3: H2@Scale Pilot - integrated production, storage, and fueling systems including innovative approaches that successfully integrate and optimize the complete system encompassing hydrogen production, storage, distribution, and use.

Please carefully review the complete Funding Opportunity Announcement, which can be accessed under the "Documents" heading below.

FOA Q&A can also be accessed under the "Documents" heading. Please review the Q&A before submitting a question, as a similar question may already have been answered.

To apply to this FOA, Applicants must register with and submit application materials through EERE Exchange (this website), EERE’s online application portal.

The Exchange system enforces hard deadlines for Concept Paper and Full Application submissions. The APPLY and SUBMIT buttons automatically disable at the defined submission deadlines. The intention of this design is to consistently enforce a standard deadline for all applicants.

Applicants that experience issues with submissions PRIOR to the FOA Deadline should contact the Exchange Helpdesk for assistance at EERE-ExchangeSupport@hq.doe.gov. Applicants are responsible for meeting each submission deadline. Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit their Concept Papers and Full Applications at least 48 hours in advance of the submission deadline.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)’s vision of the H2@Scale initiative is to enable affordable, reliable and secure energy through hydrogen production from diverse domestic resources and utilization across multiple sectors. Through this initiative, the DOE aims to incentivize the research and development (R&D) of transformational technologies that reduce the cost of hydrogen production and distribution technologies, diversify the feedstocks available for affordable hydrogen production, enable new end uses of hydrogen, enhance the flexibility of the electric power grid, reduce emissions through novel uses of affordable hydrogen, generate jobs in growing industries, and provide global technology leadership for export of next-generation energy solutions. The objective of this Request for Information (RFI) is to identify and quantify domestic resources compatible with large-scale hydrogen production, and to identify pathways to enable effective near- and long-term leveraging of these resources in major industries requiring affordable, secure, domestic, and scalable hydrogen supplies. This RFI complements the DOE Fuel Cell Technologies Office’s (FCTO’s) early-stage R&D activities and is intended to leverage the private sector to identify technical, cost and infrastructure barriers to deployment and widespread adoption of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies. This RFI also complements FCTO’s RFI titled Identifying Priorities for Reducing Barriers to Deployment of Hydrogen Infrastructure which was released on June 13, 2018.

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This RFI is not a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA); therefore, the DOE is not accepting applications at this time. The DOE may issue a FOA in the future based on or related to the content and responses to this RFI; however, the DOE may also elect not to issue a FOA. There is no guarantee that a FOA will be issued as a result of this RFI. Responding to this RFI does not provide any advantage or disadvantage to potential applicants if the DOE chooses to issue a FOA regarding the subject matter.

Any information obtained as a result of this RFI is intended to be used by the Government on a non-attribution basis for planning and strategy development; this RFI does not constitute a formal solicitation for proposals or abstracts. Your response to this notice will be treated as information only. The DOE will review and consider all responses in its formulation of program strategies for the identified materials of interest that are the subject of this request. The DOE will not provide reimbursement for costs incurred in responding to this RFI. Respondents are advised that the DOE is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted under this RFI. Responses to this RFI do not bind the DOE to any further actions related to this topic.

Because information received in response to this RFI may be used to structure future programs and FOAs and/or otherwise be made available to the public, respondents are strongly advised to NOT include any information in their responses that might be considered business sensitive, proprietary, or otherwise confidential. If, however, a respondent chooses to submit business sensitive, proprietary, or otherwise confidential information, it must be clearly and conspicuously marked as such in the response.

Responses to this RFI must be submitted online or by email in accordance with the "RFI Submission Guidelines" detailed in the RFI. The submission must be received no later than 5:00 pm (ET) on October 31, 2018.

The DOE will not respond to individual submissions or publish publicly a compendium of responses. A response to this RFI will not be viewed as a binding commitment to develop or pursue the project or ideas discussed.

This is a Request for Information (RFI) only. EERE will not pay for information provided under this RFI and no project will be supported as a result of this RFI. This RFI is not accepting applications for financial assistance or financial incentives. EERE may or may not issue a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) based on consideration of the input received from this RFI.

***EERE eXCHANGE has a system upgrade scheduled at 8PM ET on 2/17/2017 which will leave the system unavailable until approximately 6AM ET 2/18/2017. Since the eXCHANGE system is only scheduled to be down for a short period over a weekend night, DOE has decided not to extend the due date at this time.***

This FOA is for the research and development of low-cost hydrogen production, onboard hydrogen storage, and proton exchange membrane fuel cells to advance the widespread commercialization of fuel cell electric vehicles. Selected projects will leverage national lab consortia launched under DOE’s Energy Materials Network (EMN) this past year, in support of DOE’s materials research and advanced manufacturing priorities.

The fuel cells market is growing rapidly, and has seen an annual growth rate of 30% every year since 2010 as well as $2 billion annual revenue in 2014. Light duty vehicles are an emerging application for fuel cells that already enable 95% lower petroleum consumption per mile than conventional internal combustion engine vehicles.

Applicants to this funding opportunity announcement (FOA) will collaborate with national lab consortia launched within the EMN. The EMN consortia have been established to make unique, world-class capabilities at the national laboratories more accessible to industry, facilitating collaborations that will expedite the development and manufacturing of advanced materials for commercial markets.

The FOA topics include:

Topic 1: PGM-free Catalyst and Electrode R&D – this topic will leverage the Electrocatalysis Consortium (ElectroCat) to accelerate the development of catalysts made without platinum group metals (PGM-free) for use in fuel cells for transportation.

Topic 2: Advanced Water Splitting Materials – this topic will leverage the HydroGEN Consortium to accelerate the development of advanced water splitting materials for hydrogen production, with an initial focus on advanced electrolytic, photoelectrochemical, and solar thermochemical pathways.

Topic 3: Hydrogen Storage Materials Discovery – this topic will leverage the Hydrogen Materials—Advanced Research Consortium (HyMARC) to address unsolved scientific challenges in the development of viable solid-state materials for hydrogen storage onboard fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs).

Topic 4: Precursor Development for Low-Cost, High-Strength Carbon Fiber for Use in Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessel Applications – this topic will aim to reduce the cost of onboard hydrogen storage necessary for FCEVs. Applicants for this topic will be encouraged to collaborate with LightMAT, a consortium launched by the DOE Vehicle Technologies Office to enable light-weighting of vehicles through the development of high-strength steels and carbon fiber.

To apply to this FOA, Applicants must register with and submit application materials through EERE Exchange (this website), EERE’s online application portal.

The Exchange system enforces hard deadlines for Concept Paper and Full Application submissions. The APPLY and SUBMIT buttons automatically disable at the defined submission deadlines. The intention of this design is to consistently enforce a standard deadline for all applicants.

Applicants that experience issues with submissions PRIOR to the FOA Deadline:

In the event that an Applicant experiences technical difficulties with a submission PRIOR to the deadline, the Applicant should contact the eXCHANGE helpdesk for assistance (EERE‐ExchangeSupport@hq.doe.gov). The eXCHANGE helpdesk &/or the EERE Exchange System Administrators (Exchange@ee.doe.gov ) will assist the Applicant in resolving all issues.

Applicants that experience issues with submissions that result in a late submission:

In the event that an Applicant experiences technical difficulties with a submission that results in a late submission, the Applicant should contact the Exchange helpdesk for assistance (EERE‐ExchangeSupport@hq.doe.gov).

The eXCHANGE helpdesk &/or the EERE eXCHANGE System Administrators (eXCHANGE@ee.doe.gov) will assist the Applicant in resolving all issues (including finalizing the submission on behalf of and with the Applicant’s concurrence). DOE will only accept late applications when the Applicant has a) encountered technical difficulties beyond their control; b) has contacted the Exchange helpdesk for assistance, and c) has submitted the application through Exchange within 24 hours of the FOA’s posted deadline.

The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) intends to issue, on behalf of the Fuel Cell Technologies Office (FCTO), a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) entitled “Fuel Cell Technologies Office Annual FOA”.

The FCTO is a key component of the Department of Energy’s (DOE) EERE portfolio. Fuel cells powered by hydrogen from renewable or low-carbon resources can lead to substantial energy savings and reductions in imported petroleum and carbon emissions. The FCTO aims to provide clean, safe, secure, affordable, and reliable energy from diverse domestic resources, providing the benefits of increased energy security and reduced criteria pollutants and green-house gas emissions through research, development and demonstration (RD&D) to address both key technical challenges for fuel cells and hydrogen fuels (i.e. hydrogen production, delivery and storage) and institutional barriers such as hydrogen codes and standards.

It is anticipated that the FOA will include 4 topics that are detailed below. The first 3 topics will leverage FCTO’s national lab consortia launched under the DOE Energy Materials Network (EMN) in FY16, in support of the President’s Materials Genome Initiative and advanced manufacturing priorities. Consortia that will be leveraged include: ElectroCat, HydroGEN, and HyMARC (additional information is below). Applicants will be encouraged to leverage consortia capabilites in their research, and share research results with consortia data portals. Interested applicants are encouraged to explore consortia capabilites, and interface with consortia steering committees prior to the release of the FOA. To help facilitate this, FCTO plans to hold webinars and/or weekly public teleconferences with technical representatives from each consortium in the coming weeks, wherein interested applicants can ask questions about the consortia’s capabilities. These webinars and teleconferences will be open to the public and their recordings will be publically posted to ensure everyone has the same access. To ensure you are notified of upcoming FCTO webinars, please subscribe to our Fuel Cell News and Financial Opportunity Updates at the following link: http://energy.gov/eere/fuelcells/subscribe-news-and-financial-opportunity-updates.

This notice of intent (NOI) is issued so that interested parties are aware of the EERE’s intention to issue this FOA in the near term. All of the information contained in this NOI is subject to change. EERE will not respond to questions concerning this NOI. Once the FOA has been released, EERE will provide an avenue for potential applicants to submit questions.

EERE plans to issue the FOA in the Fall of 2016 via the EERE Exchange website https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/. If applicants wish to receive official notifications and information from EERE regarding this FOA, they should register in EERE Exchange. When the FOA is released, applications will be accepted only through EERE Exchange.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) seeks input on priority RD&D areas to enable deep decarbonization of industrial, transportation, and power generation sectors through wide-scale deployment of hydrogen. The potential of hydrogen to deeply decarbonize a multitude of sectors was identified by the DOE national laboratories in a proposal termed H2@Scale in 2016. The preliminary analysis performed by the national laboratories on the H2@Scale concept indicated that nearly a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions is possible by 2050. Research in several relevant areas is currently addressed by many different DOE Offices, including the Offices of Nuclear Energy (NE), Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Fossil Energy (FE), Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability (OE), and Science (OS), along with the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA-E). Given the broad scope of H2@Scale, and the need to engage many stakeholders to ensure the proposal’s success, the U.S. DOE is soliciting feedback on activities to advance the H2@Scale proposal in both the near and longer-term.

The purpose of this RFI is to solicit feedback, project ideas, and other guidance on the topic areas described below and through responses to questions (as applicable). Note stakeholders should feel free to respond only to those topics relevant to their expertise; it is not necessary to respond to all topics.

1. Concept of H2 at Scale
2. Integration of Hydrogen Production with the Electricity Grid, and with Storage and Pipeline Infrastructure
3. Integration of Hydrogen Production with Process Heat, such as from Nuclear Generation, Industrial Waste Heat Sources, or Concentrated Solar Power
4. Leveraging Stranded Renewables, and Value-Added Applications for Hydrogen
5. Hydrogen from Fossil Fuels
6. Other

This RFI is not a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA); therefore, the U.S. DOE is not accepting applications at this time. The U.S. DOE may issue a FOA in the future based on or related to the content and responses to this RFI; however, the U.S. DOE may also elect not to issue a FOA.

Responses to this RFI must be submitted electronically to H2Scale@ee.doe.gov with the subject line "DE-FOA-0001655 - RFI" no later than 5:00pm (ET) on November 4, 2016. Responses must be provided as attachments to an email. It is recommended that attachments with file sizes exceeding 25MB be compressed (i.e., zipped) to ensure message delivery. Responses must be provided as a Microsoft Word (.docx) attachment to the email, and no more than 5 pages in length, 12 point font, 1 inch margins. Only electronic responses will be accepted.

Research activities supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Fuel Cell Technologies Office (FCTO) are focused on developing technology targets for FCETs to facilitate the growth of hydrogen (H₂) and fuel cell technology. Making the transition from fossil fuel-powered to fuel cell powered trucks will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve domestic energy security, and improve air quality. The MD/HD market spans multiple weight classes (i.e. class 3-8 or 10,000-80,000+ lbs.) and vocational uses (i.e. delivery van, tractor trailer, flatbed, etc.). Today, MD/HD trucks account for 28% of petroleum use in the U.S. transportation sector [EIA 2015].

A key activity within FCTO with industry input, is setting technology targets for future years (e.g., 2020 targets) based on what is required to be competitive with incumbent or other advanced technologies. These targets can then be used by stakeholders to help track performance and set technology benchmarks. Currently, FCTO tracks technology targets for hydrogen production, delivery, storage, and fuel cells for light-duty vehicles.

The purpose of this RFI is to solicit feedback from truck operators, truck and hydrogen tank manufacturers, fuel cell manufacturers, station equipment designers, and other related stakeholders on issues related to fuel cell electric truck targets. This RFI pertains to setting technology targets for fuel cell electric trucks (FCET). These targets will help drive early markets for medium and heavy duty (MD/HD) trucks which utilize hydrogen fuel cell technology.Fuel cell technology provides a means to create net zero emission vehicles (ZEV) for larger weight classes due to scalability and comparable performance to conventional powertrains.

This is solely a request for information and not a FOA; therefore, DOE is not accepting applications at this time. DOE will not respond to questions related to this RFI.

Responses to this RFI must be submitted electronically to FCTrucktargets@ee.doe.gov no later than 5:00pm (ET) on 7/11/2016. Responses must be provided as attachments to an email.

The Fuel Cell Technologies Office (FCTO) is a key component of the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) portfolio. The FCTO aims to provide clean, safe, secure, affordable, and reliable energy from diverse domestic resources, providing the benefits of increased energy security and reduced criteria pollutants and green-house gas emissions by adopting a technology–neutral approach toward applied research, development, and demonstration to address both key technical challenges for fuel cells and hydrogen fuels (i.e. hydrogen production, delivery and storage) and institutional barriers such as hydrogen codes and standards. This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA)’s Area of Interest (AOI) 4 covers topics within Analysis which include fuel cell systems analysis, hydrogen storage analysis, and hydrogen production and delivery analysis.

The eXCHANGE system enforces hard deadlines for Full Application submissions. The APPLY and SUBMIT buttons automatically disable at the defined submission deadlines. The intention of this design is to consistently enforce a standard deadline for all applicants.

Applicants that experience issues with submissions PRIOR to the FOA Deadline:

In the event that an Applicant experiences technical difficulties with a submission, the Applicant should contact the eXCHANGE helpdesk for assistance (exchangehelp@hq.doe.gov). The eXCHANGE helpdesk &/or the EERE eXCHANGE System Administrators (eXCHANGE@ee.doe.gov) will assist the Applicant in resolving all issues.

Applicants that experience issues with submissions that result in a late submission:

In the event that an Applicant experiences technical difficulties with a submission that results in a late submission, the Applicant should contact the eXCHANGE helpdesk for assistance (exchangehelp@hq.doe.gov). The eXCHANGE helpdesk &/or the EERE eXCHANGE System Administrators (eXCHANGE@ee.doe.gov) will assist the Applicant in resolving all issues (including finalizing the submission on behalf of and with the Applicant’s concurrence). DOE will only accept late applications when the Applicant has a) encountered technical difficulties beyond their control; b) has contacted the eXCHANGE helpdesk for assistance, and c) has submitted the application through eXCHANGE within 24 hours of the FOA’s posted deadline.

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Replies to Reviewer Comments

February 23, 2016 7:00PM to February 26, 2016 7:00PM Eastern Time

During this time period, EERE will provide eligible applicants with reviewer comments and an opportunity to provide a short reply.  This is an optional submission.  Review Sections IV.A and IV.D of the FOA for content and form requirements.

The Fuel Cell Technologies Office (FCTO) is a key component of the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) portfolio. The FCTO aims to provide clean, safe, secure, affordable, and reliable energy from diverse domestic resources, providing the benefits of increased energy security and reduced criteria pollutants and green-house gas emissions by adopting a technology–neutral approach toward applied research, development, and demonstration to address both key technical challenges for fuel cells and hydrogen fuels (i.e. hydrogen production, delivery and storage) and institutional barriers such as hydrogen codes and standards. This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA)’s Area of Interest (AOI) 3 covers Consortium topics which include Fuel Cell - Performance and Durability (FC-PAD) and Hydrogen Storage Materials Discovery (HyMARC).

The eXCHANGE system enforces hard deadlines for Concept Paper and Full Application submissions. The APPLY and SUBMIT buttons automatically disable at the defined submission deadlines. The intention of this design is to consistently enforce a standard deadline for all applicants.

Applicants that experience issues with submissions PRIOR to the FOA Deadline:

In the event that an Applicant experiences technical difficulties with a submission, the Applicant should contact the eXCHANGE helpdesk for assistance (exchangehelp@hq.doe.gov). The eXCHANGE helpdesk &/or the EERE eXCHANGE System Administrators (eXCHANGE@ee.doe.gov) will assist the Applicant in resolving all issues.

Applicants that experience issues with submissions that result in a late submission:

In the event that an Applicant experiences technical difficulties with a submission that results in a late submission, the Applicant should contact the eXCHANGE helpdesk for assistance (exchangehelp@hq.doe.gov). The eXCHANGE helpdesk &/or the EERE eXCHANGE System Administrators (eXCHANGE@ee.doe.gov) will assist the Applicant in resolving all issues (including finalizing the submission on behalf of and with the Applicant’s concurrence). DOE will only accept late applications when the Applicant has a) encountered technical difficulties beyond their control; b) has contacted the eXCHANGE helpdesk for assistance, and c) has submitted the application through eXCHANGE within 24 hours of the FOA’s posted deadline.

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Webinar:

A webinar describing the FC-PAD and HyMARC consortia activities for potential FOA applicants is scheduled for Thursday, January 7th at 2pm ET. The link to register for the webinar is below.

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2706130484292389378

The webinar presentations is available in the Documents section of this posting.

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Replies to Reviewer Comments

Expected time frame: April 27, 2016 7:00PM to May 2, 2016 7:00PM Eastern Time

During this time period, EERE will provide eligible applicants with reviewer comments and an opportunity to provide a short reply. This is an optional submission. Review Sections IV.A and IV.E of the FOA for content and form requirements.

The Fuel Cell Technologies Office (FCTO) is a key component of the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) portfolio. The FCTO aims to provide clean, safe, secure, affordable, and reliable energy from diverse domestic resources, providing the benefits of increased energy security and reduced criteria pollutants and green-house gas emissions by adopting a technology–neutral approach toward applied research, development, and demonstration to address both key technical challenges for fuel cells and hydrogen fuels (i.e. hydrogen production, delivery and storage) and institutional barriers such as hydrogen codes and standards. This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA)’s Area of Interest (AOI) 2 covers topics within Demonstration and Deployment which include component manufacturing for hydrogen infrastructure and America's Climate Action Champions.

The eXCHANGE system enforces hard deadlines for Concept Paper and Full Application submissions. The APPLY and SUBMIT buttons automatically disable at the defined submission deadlines. The intention of this design is to consistently enforce a standard deadline for all applicants.

Applicants that experience issues with submissions PRIOR to the FOA Deadline:

In the event that an Applicant experiences technical difficulties with a submission, the Applicant should contact the eXCHANGE helpdesk for assistance (exchangehelp@hq.doe.gov). The eXCHANGE helpdesk &/or the EERE eXCHANGE System Administrators (eXCHANGE@ee.doe.gov) will assist the Applicant in resolving all issues.

Applicants that experience issues with submissions that result in a late submission:

In the event that an Applicant experiences technical difficulties with a submission that results in a late submission, the Applicant should contact the eXCHANGE helpdesk for assistance (exchangehelp@hq.doe.gov). The eXCHANGE helpdesk &/or the EERE eXCHANGE System Administrators (eXCHANGE@ee.doe.gov) will assist the Applicant in resolving all issues (including finalizing the submission on behalf of and with the Applicant’s concurrence). DOE will only accept late applications when the Applicant has a) encountered technical difficulties beyond their control; b) has contacted the eXCHANGE helpdesk for assistance, and c) has submitted the application through eXCHANGE within 24 hours of the FOA’s posted deadline.

The Fuel Cell Technologies Office (FCTO) is a key component of the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) portfolio. The FCTO aims to provide clean, safe, secure, affordable, and reliable energy from diverse domestic resources, providing the benefits of increased energy security and reduced criteria pollutants and green-house gas emissions by adopting a technology–neutral approach toward applied research, development, and demonstration to address both key technical challenges for fuel cells and hydrogen fuels (i.e. hydrogen production, delivery and storage) and institutional barriers such as hydrogen codes and standards. This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA)’s Area of Interest (AOI) 1 covers topics within Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Technologies Research and Development (R&D) which include advanced high-temperature water splitting, advanced compression, and advanced thermal insulation for automotive storage applications.

The eXCHANGE system enforces hard deadlines for Concept Paper and Full Application submissions. The APPLY and SUBMIT buttons automatically disable at the defined submission deadlines. The intention of this design is to consistently enforce a standard deadline for all applicants.

Applicants that experience issues with submissions PRIOR to the FOA Deadline:

In the event that an Applicant experiences technical difficulties with a submission, the Applicant should contact the eXCHANGE helpdesk for assistance (exchangehelp@hq.doe.gov). The eXCHANGE helpdesk &/or the EERE eXCHANGE System Administrators (eXCHANGE@ee.doe.gov) will assist the Applicant in resolving all issues.

Applicants that experience issues with submissions that result in a late submission:

In the event that an Applicant experiences technical difficulties with a submission that results in a late submission, the Applicant should contact the eXCHANGE helpdesk for assistance (exchangehelp@hq.doe.gov). The eXCHANGE helpdesk &/or the EERE eXCHANGE System Administrators (eXCHANGE@ee.doe.gov) will assist the Applicant in resolving all issues (including finalizing the submission on behalf of and with the Applicant’s concurrence). DOE will only accept late applications when the Applicant has a) encountered technical difficulties beyond their control; b) has contacted the eXCHANGE helpdesk for assistance, and c) has submitted the application through eXCHANGE within 24 hours of the FOA’s posted deadline.

The Fuel Cell Technologies Office (FCTO) is a key component of the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) portfolio. FCTO aims to provide clean, safe, secure, affordable, and reliable energy from diverse domestic resources, providing the benefits of increased energy security and reduced criteria pollutants and green-house gas emissions by adopting a technology–neutral approach towards applied research, development, and demonstration to address both key technical challenges for fuel cells and hydrogen fuels (i.e. hydrogen production, delivery and storage) and institutional barriers such as hydrogen codes and standards.

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) covers a broad spectrum of the FCTO portfolio with 4 Areas of Interest (AOI):

AOI 1: Research and development (R&D) for hydrogen fuel technologies

AOI 2: Demonstration and deployment for manufacturing technologies and Climate Action Champions

AOI 3: R&D within Consortia for fuel cell performance and durability and hydrogen storage materials

AOI 4: Cost and performance analyses for hydrogen production and delivery, hydrogen storage, and fuel cells

Submission deadlines, cost sharing requirements, eligibility information, applicant requirements (including whether or not a Concept Paper is required), etc. vary by AOI. Please refer to the appropriate AOI document for specific requirements, schedules, eligibility, etc.

The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) intends to issue, on behalf of the Fuel Cell Technologies Office (FCTO), a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) entitled “Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Research, Development, and Demonstrations”.

The Fuel Cell Technologies Office (FCTO) is a key component of the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) portfolio. Fuel cells powered by hydrogen from renewable or low-carbon resources can lead to substantial energy savings and reductions in imported petroleum and carbon emissions. FCTO aims to provide clean, safe, secure, affordable, and reliable energy from diverse domestic resources, providing the benefits of increased energy security and reduced criteria pollutants and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. FCTO accomplishes its goals by adopting a technology-neutral approach toward research, development and demonstration (RD&D) to address both key technical challenges for fuel cells and hydrogen fuels (i.e. hydrogen production, delivery and storage) and other barriers such as hydrogen codes and standards. The central mission of FCTO is to enable the widespread commercialization of a portfolio of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies through applied RD&D, and diverse efforts to overcome institutional and market challenges.

Fuel cells can address our critical energy challenges in all sectors: transportation, commercial, residential, and industrial. They can use diverse fuels, including biomass-based fuels, natural gas, and hydrogen produced from renewable resources. FCTO’s focus is primarily transportation and light-duty passenger vehicles utilizing hydrogen as an energy carrier. These areas will have the greatest impact in terms of GHG and petroleum reduction and they are aligned with the President’s goals and Climate Action Plan. However, FCTO also supports a range of other applications, including near-term markets such as distributed primary and backup power, lift trucks, and portable power; mid-term markets such as residential combined-heat-and-power (CHP) systems, and auxiliary power units; and longer-term markets such as fleet vehicles.

This FOA will provide funding to meet FCTO’s goals for Hydrogen Production and Delivery, Hydrogen Storage, Fuel Cell Technologies, Technology Validation, Manufacturing, and Analysis Programs. More detailed descriptions of the FCTO Programs, including technical and cost targets, can be found in the Multi-Year Research, Development and Demonstration Plan (MYRD&D) at http://energy.gov/eere/fuelcells/downloads/fuel-cell-technologies-office-multi-year-research-development-and-22 . It is anticipated that up to $35M in DOE funds will be awarded under this FOA, subject to the availability of appropriations.

This Notice is issued so that interested parties are aware of the EERE’s intention to issue this FOA in the near term. All of the information contained in this Notice is subject to change. EERE will not respond to questions concerning this Notice. Once the FOA has been released, EERE will provide an avenue for potential Applicants to submit questions.

EERE plans to issue the FOA on or about December 10, 2015 via the EERE Exchange website https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/ . If Applicants wish to receive official notifications and information from EERE regarding this FOA, they should register in EERE Exchange. When the FOA is released, applications will be accepted only through EERE Exchange.

The eXCHANGE system enforces hard deadlines for Concept Paper and Full Application submissions. The APPLY and SUBMIT buttons automatically disable at the defined submission deadlines. The intention of this design is to consistently enforce a standard deadline for all applicants.

Applicants that experience issues with submissions PRIOR to the FOA Deadline:

In the event that an Applicant experiences technical difficulties with a submission, the Applicant should contact the eXCHANGE helpdesk for assistance (exchangehelp@hq.doe.gov). The eXCHANGE helpdesk &/or the EERE eXCHANGE System Administrators (eXCHANGE@ee.doe.gov) will assist the Applicant in resolving all issues.

Applicants that experience issues with submissions that result in a late submission:

In the event that an Applicant experiences technical difficulties with a submission that results in a late submission, the Applicant should contact the eXCHANGE helpdesk for assistance (exchangehelp@hq.doe.gov). The eXCHANGE helpdesk &/or the EERE eXCHANGE System Administrators (eXCHANGE@ee.doe.gov) will assist the Applicant in resolving all issues (including finalizing the submission on behalf of and with the Applicant’s concurrence). DOE will only accept late applications when the Applicant has a) encountered technical difficulties beyond their control; b) has contacted the eXCHANGE helpdesk for assistance, and c) has submitted the application through eXCHANGE within 24 hours of the FOA’s posted deadline.

There will be an Informational Webinar held on March 10, 2015 from 11:00am - 12:00pm ET. Standard information regarding the EERE Office and FOA procedures will be discussed.

 Link to the Webinar: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/7618359203471744513

The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) intends to issue, on behalf of the Fuel Cell Technologies Office, a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) entitled “Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Research, Development, and Demonstrations”.  This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) will cover a broad spectrum of the FCTO portfolio with topics ranging from research and development (R&D) to demonstration and deployment projects.  In particular, the R&D areas of interest for this FOA include hydrogen production via microbial biomass conversion; low PGM catalyst development for PEM fuel cell applications; development of an integrated intelligent hydrogen dispenser; and fuel cell and hydrogen manufacturing R&D focusing on hydrogen delivery pipeline manufacturing R&D.  This FOA also includes demonstration topic areas that will help to accelerate adoption of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies with specific interest in mobile hydrogen refuelers, fuel cell powered range extenders for light duty hybrid electric vehicles, and a Communities of Excellence topic featuring hydrogen and fuel cell technologies.  

The FOA will include two general Areas of Interest each with several Subtopics:

Area of Interest 1: Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Technologies Research and Development (R&D)

1a. Hydrogen Production R&D: Microbial Biomass Conversion.

1b. Fuel Cell Technologies R&D: Low Platinum Group Metal Catalysts and Supports.

1c. Hydrogen Delivery R&D: Integrated Intelligent Hydrogen Dispensers for 700 bar Gaseous Refueling of Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles.

1d. Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Manufacturing R&D: Hydrogen Delivery Pipeline Manufacturing.

Area of Interest 2: Demonstration and Deployments to Enable Early Adoption of Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Technologies.

2a. Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology Validation: Mobile Refueling.

2b. Market Transformation: Demonstration and Deployment of Plug-In Fuel Cell Hybrid Electric Light- Duty Vehicle.

2c. FCTO Crosscutting: America’s Climate Communities of Excellence.

This Notice is issued so that interested parties are aware of the EERE’s intention to issue this FOA in the near term. All of the information contained in this Notice is subject to change. EERE will not respond to questions concerning this Notice. This is a Notice of Intent (NOI) only. EERE may issue a FOA as described herein, may issue a FOA that is significantly different than the FOA described herein, or DOE may not issue a FOA at all.

Once the FOA has been released, EERE will provide an avenue for potential Applicants to submit questions. NO APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED THROUGH THIS NOTICE.  Please do not submit questions or respond to this Notice of Intent.  Prospective applicants to the FOA should begin developing partnerships, formulating ideas, and gathering data in anticipation of the issuance of this FOA.  It is anticipated that this FOA will be posted to EERE Exchange February 2015.

The Fuel Cell Technologies Office (FCTO) is a key component of the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) portfolio. EERE seeks to provide clean, safe, secure, affordable, and reliable energy from diverse domestic resources, along with the benefits of increased energy security and reduced criteria pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions.

DOE seeks feedback from industry, academia, research laboratories, government agencies, and other stakeholders on issues related to electrolytic hydrogen production pathways, specifically with respect to the Electrolytic Hydrogen Production Workshop Report.  The workshop was held February 27–28, 2014, in Golden, Colorado. EERE is interested both in information on the current status of electrolytic hydrogen production pathways, technologies and their potential to meet DOE cost goals as well as feedback on the content of the report, including the key RD&D needs as determined by the participants. EERE is also interested in the community’s opinion of the electrolysis technologies that have the most potential to produce low cost hydrogen that meets DOE goals. The report may be found at: http://energy.gov/eere/fuelcells/workshop-and-meeting-proceedings.

Responses to this RFI must be submitted electronically to h2workshop@ee.doe.gov no later than 5:00pm (EDT) on December 5, 2014.

THIS IS NOT A FUNDING OPPORTUNITY ANNOUNCEMENT (FOA); THEREFORE, DOE IS NOT ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS.

The purpose of this modification is to change the submission deadline for responses to this RFI from 02/28/2014 to 03/14/2014.  

The Fuel Cell Technologies Office (FCTO) is a key component of the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) portfolio. EERE seeks to provide clean, safe, secure, affordable, and reliable energy from diverse domestic resources, along with the benefits of increased energy security and reduced criteria pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions.

The DOE seeks feedback on biological hydrogen production research and development (R&D) pathways, barriers, issues and opportunities for development of technologies that can ultimately produce low cost hydrogen that meets DOE goals. Feedback is specifically requested on the Workshop Report for the Biological Hydrogen Production Workshop held September 24-25, 2013 by the DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, CO. The Workshop Report and presentations can be found at: http://www1.eere.energy.gov/hydrogenandfuelcells/wkshp_bio_h2_production.html

Responses to this RFI must be submitted electronically to BiologicalHydrogen@go.doe.gov no later than 5:00pm (EDT) on February 28, 2014.

THIS IS NOT A FUNDING OPPORTUNITY ANNOUNCEMENT (FOA); THEREFORE, DOE IS NOT ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR FUNDING REGARDING THIS TOPIC AT THIS TIME.

This FOA supports research and development efforts to address critical challenges and barriers for hydrogen production technology development.  The long-term goal of production and delivery research and development (R&D) is a high-volume hydrogen cost goal of $2-$4 per gallon gasoline equivalent (gge) (delivered and dispensed, but untaxed) to allow fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) to be competitive on a dollar per mile basis with gasoline in hybrid electric vehicles.  More specifically, the portion of the cost goal apportioned to production is <$2/gge hydrogen.  Innovative materials, processes, and systems are needed to establish the technical and cost feasibility for renewable and low carbon hydrogen production.  With this FOA, the DOE through the Fuel Cell Technologies Office will seek to fund hydrogen production research and development projects in order to move technologies towards reaching the hydrogen production cost goal of <$2/gge. The FOA includes the following topics:

• Topic 1: Integrated or hybrid systems for central, semi-central or distributed production of low-cost, low carbon hydrogen from natural gas 
• Topic 2: Thermochemical conversion of bio-derived liquids for distributed or semi-central production of low-cost hydrogen
• Topic 3: Hydrogen production through direct solar watersplitting technologies: Advanced materials-based systems for direct solar water splitting for central or semi-central production of low-cost renewable hydrogen

With this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), the DOE through the Fuel Cell Technologies (FCT) Program seeks to fund hydrogen pathway analyses to determine the most promising paths forward for the production and delivery of hydrogen, while also defining the key remaining challenges. The DOE will only accept applications that are responsive to the scope and topic area described below.

System-level analyses of hydrogen production and delivery technologies are needed to support selection of portfolio priorities through evaluations of technical progress and hydrogen cost status, as well as projections of technology timelines and benefits, and evaluation of the potential of production and delivery pathways to meet the FCT threshold cost goal of $2-$4/gge delivered and dispensed hydrogen by 2020.  This effort will include annual cost analyses of key remaining challenges for technology pathways within the Hydrogen P&D sub-program portfolio using, primarily, the Hydrogen Analysis (H2A) model to determine status improvements resulting from technology advancements. For example, production pathways that may be considered under the direction of the FCT Program include, but are not limited to: reforming of biomass-derived renewable liquids for distributed production of hydrogen; distributed, semi-central and central water electrolysis; solar high-temperature water splitting; photoelectrochemical water splitting; and biological processes using micro-organisms for photolytic, fermentation, and microbial electrolysis for large-scale central hydrogen production. 

An initial cost model validation by the recipient may be required. The validation will be done by defining a baseline cost based largely on data from a current industry accepted hydrogen production pathway which will be selected and approved by DOE’s P&D Team.

The recipient will be responsible for vetting all user-input values used in the H2A analysis and for clearly and precisely presenting the results and sensitivity analyses of the technologies/pathways analyzed. The recipient’s project will be subject to evaluation by system developers, independent peer review, and the DOE Annual Peer Review and Merit Evaluation process.  Results of the evaluation will be used to determine whether the project will continue through the following years. The recipient will also be required to present results as needed to USDrive technology teams e.g., the Hydrogen Production Technology Team (HPTT). Project deliverables will include:

1. Cost estimates and analyses, and their updates of hydrogen technology pathways as directed by DOE (with power point slides and written reports when requested) for distributed and central hydrogen production and delivery technologies/pathways
2. Validation of  cost model based on data from current industry accepted hydrogen production technologies and processes
3. Final report documenting the results of the analyses including sensitivity analyses along with standard tornado charts to demonstrate critical correlation cost drivers 

This FOA was Amended on 11/6/2012, as shown in the file below.